I've sailed Shermine Is for over 20 years & am wondering if anyone else is seeing less wind at the Power Lines? I used to sail there almost daily, but for the past few years, the park at the end of the road has had higher winds more consistently. Maybe it's my imagination? ...but it used to higher at the Power Lines all but one or 2 days out of the year. I sat there yesterday in high winds & the windmills on the opposite shore look like a possible culprit? Ideas?

I rarely sail Powerlines. But I often sail markers 7/8 and 9/10. They are significantly down river from Powerlines. I feel I have noticed what may be affecting things. The "usual" River winds (past) have a W to SW flow. This flow would generate wind farther up river (Powerlines). But in the past couple of years the winds down river seem to very often have a more W direction and often, due to fronts, even in the summer, a bit of N. This of course would cause a problem at Powerlines. The W seems to happen at M11/12 as well. Not all of the time, but a lot.

One of the secondary affects is that out in front of the County Park, the W direction really messes with the ebb and causes a lot of cross chop conditions, making the sailing less than stellar. This is very evident when sailing in front and somewhat upwind of the park. Kiters have figured this out and spend more time on the S side of the channel down river around M11/12, because the W flow cleans up the cross chop over close to shore and makes some reasonably ok swell.

So, the windmills may also have an affect but I believe it is really a more regional (or global) shift in the wind patterns caused by the location of pressure systems.

I thought the windmills might have an effect on the wind further down the river last year until I got a really good day with solid west winds with just a touch of S in them. When there is any N or even too much S in the winds I think powerlines isn't as good as the access in general but the windmills might increase the amount of disturbance the wind gets when it isn't the perfect direction.

I think airwave has a good point too. This topic is always brought up early in the Delta's season then someone posts some pics of an epic day at powerlines later in the season when I think powerlines does better.

airwave wrote:

... The "usual" River winds (past) have a W to SW flow. This flow would generate wind farther up river (Powerlines). But in the past couple of years the winds down river seem to very often have a more W direction and often, due to fronts, even in the summer, a bit of N. This of course would cause a problem at Powerlines. The W seems to happen at M11/12 as well. Not all of the time, but a lot. ...

The wind was awesome at Powerlines on Sunday. Our team was sailing on 2.9 to 4.1s from the getgo of the dawn session. Finally, someone mercifully left the water after 3+ hours and we could take a little break. Then we were back out until almost 1 PM for the 2nd session. No one re-rigged anything. We had one 210 lb guy on a 3.7 and 89l board for the whole morning. 3.7 was excellent for me from bank to bank... for hours and hours... all morning. Plenty of room to ride the swells.

Everyone of us said it was our best Delta Day ever.

Regarding windmills changing conditions and Powerlines Vs Sign. I don't sail there enough to make an informed observation. Not enough data points in the sample set.

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